Early yesterday, Lillian LoGrasso made a public announcement that the weather forecast for the evening was predicted to be “100% chance of fun with a few scattered crazies!!!” She could not have been more correct! The snow did not stop this party from happening. Party goers arrived at Cruisport dressed in their very best holiday attire sporting snow boats and clutching their dancing shoes! The festive vibe in the ballroom was contagious with a packed dance floor all evening. This morning I woke thinking of all the times my parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents would pack the Amery on Prospect street each New Years Eve, for this type of fun. I am so thankful that the Gloucester housewives brought this tradition back to our beautiful community. Photos courtesy of the Housewives-

As more of our local merchants submit their plans I’ll add them to this post for handy reference on what to do and where to go.

Hopefully Fred Bodin will circulate this post to our local merchants so they know to submit stuff to me to add in.

First Up Maritime Gloucester submits-

Maritime Gloucester will be open for Gloucester’s Family & Friends Night this Thursday, 5:00-7:30. Bring the whole family! We’ll have a craft project for the kids and great deals in the shop for everyone. There will be snacks and hot chocolate and lots of good cheer!

Join us for Friends & Family Night

Dear Joey,

Season’s Greetings!

Why shop alone when you can make a night of it with friends and family? ‘Tis what the season is all about!

This Thursday, December 12th from 5pm to 10pm, celebrate the season at Harbor Goods with live music, specials, holiday treats and free wrapping.

Shop small and local in Downtown Gloucester while you enjoy strolling carolers and musicians in a family-friendly and festive Main Street event. The winner of the $1500 Shopping Spree will be drawn during the evening.

Mix, Mingle and Be Merry with the crew at Harbor Goods/Life is good

119 Main Street, Gloucester, MA

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Yesterday began with a visit from Radio Talk show hosts, Aurelia Nelson from Nothshore 104.9 Sunday Morning “CurtainUp” and National Radio Talk show host Tonia King from “Creative Voice & Media, Tonia’s Kitchen”. Both joined me in my kitchen for a late afternoon luncheon to discuses my newly released cookbook “Gifts Of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen With Sista Felicia, Harvest”. Tonia, Aurelia and I enjoyed Lentil Soup and Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Flatbread Pizza, (both recipes featured in “Gifts Of Gold”), while chatting about our passions for cooking, connection to food, and our love for family and traditions. After lunch, we rolled up our sleeves and whipped up a batch of Pinulata, also know to many as Struffoli. It was a great afternoon, and I am already looking forward to their next visit. Thank you ladies for spending your afternoon with me in my kitchen!

To learn more about Tonia King and Aurelia Nelson Click on their links below

After an afternoon of food, fun and friendship, my mother and I rushed over to Rockport Ma, to join The Pigeon Cove Circle, as their Guest Speaker for the evening. After sharing a delicious potluck dinner, I share my personal story and the journey about creating my new cookbook “Gifts Of Gold.” The Pigeon Cove Circle is a lovely group of women who meet once a month for dinner to creatively organization ways they can serve the community. Their membership is open to all, and I am so honored to have been invited to be apart of their Circle last night. I encourage you to stop by their annual Holiday Fair, that will begin with quiche brunch this year… look for their public announcement for dates and more details.

Tonight I will be at “Taste of Magnolia at the Magnolia Library from 7-9pm signing copies of “Gifts of Gold” Hope to meet many of you there tonight ..It looks like a delicious and fun way to kick off the weekend!

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Chocolate-Almond Torrone featured in “Gifts Of Gold” and Sista Felicia’s Holiday Pistachio Cherrie Torrone featured in the upcoming Cape Ann Magazine’s December issue, will be on sale tonight at the GMG/ Sista Felicia Table. Torrone proceeds will be donated to The GHS Photo Class Fundraiser. Hope to see you tonight !

Sawyer Free Library Annual Art Auction 2013

Going! Going!………………………

The Sawyer Free Library Art Auction is Heating up!

The Bid Book is filling up. Get a great deal on great artwork from some of Cape Ann’s Famous and emerging Artists.

Works of art will be displayed in the Adolph Matz Gallery, located in the main lobby of the library, and can be viewed by all that enter the library each day. Great interest in generated through the month as the bid book fills up. The final vocal auction is always an exciting event. In addition to funding art books, art DVDs, and a select number of museum passes, this year’s proceeds will support free art workshops for adults and children as well as an art movie series in the Fall and Winter.

The silent auction will take place in the Adolph Matz Gallery from August 26, to give visitors and opportunity to see the paintings and bid early. The vocal auction will be held October 2 at 7:00 p.m. A preview party will precede the auction.

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Editor’s note: When I posted this yesterday I forgot to take my watermark off which my blogging software does automatically for me. Al these photos were taken by Catherine Ryan-

Hi Joey

Phil Cusumano, artist/captain, and volunteer juror for the 2013 HarborWalk Public Art Challenge administered by the Committee for the arts, stopped by to inspect the public art in process on Parsons Street. The artist, James Owen Calderwood, was being filmed for an interview by Lisa Smith for Cape Ann TV. Dale Brown of the Committee for the Arts was there, too.

Jason Burroughs who is teaching with TAG is volunteering some hours yesterday and today for James’ project.

Though difficult for painting, the off and on rain does provide opportunities for visiting. Last week there were business meetings, here with Sarah Garcia Harbor Planning Director.

Today looking out from City Hall, peering past the high school kids cleaning, the bank, Parsons, and on to the harbor.

James visiting the Hive.

While there, we were privileged to witness GREAT news hot off the press and an intensity enough to match their vibrant space! TAG team members wrote and were awarded a $10,000 grant. Congratulations all!

They were heading over to the Farmer’s Market and David promises to send in names and more information. They were also tracking down Mary Ann to share the news; she was at Maritime Gloucester with the Art Haven campers partnership week.

Next time we’ll head down Parsons over to see the permanent public art installation at Maritime Gloucester museum. The twelve foot diameter compass rose is being installed on city property where the HarborWalk crosses onto Maritime Gloucester. Two artists installing new public art downtown and connections—very exciting news.

If you’re downtown, have a look at Parsons Street from either Main Street or Rogers. The Gloucester Committee for the Arts is pleased to announce that the first of 3 public art award projects has begun right there. Stop by today or over the weekend, and next week. You might see artist James Owen Calderwood at work on his 190 foot idea.

Calderwood proposed a temporary painted abstract fishnet to extend the entire length of Parsons Street (alley way from Main Street to Rogers Street). He wrote, “This street acts as an important pedestrian link, and I am hoping to catch lots of visitors…I have been creating exterior public art for 20 years, and am interested in enriching public spaces with art that engages with the site’s history, culture and native surroundings.”

Here’s some before pictures:

Some proposal ideas

Action from yesterday:

DPW was working on a multi step process to ramp and level the transition from the sidewalk to the street. A manhole casting was raised, new concrete had to dry, and then there was some paving. There are also 2 new bollard/perch seats.

There’s art on Parsons now, here fleeting:

And substantial: sometimes there’s a peek through of artist Robert Stephenson’s transportive entrance. Fittingly his was the first signature on Jamie’s visitor sign.

And the harbor calling in one direction; and in the other, Main Street, City Hall and Cape AnnMuseum, just quick steps away.

Speaking of awards, another fun recognition for the HarborWalk was for a Golden Shoe Award, for the “City of Gloucester creatively getting Gloucester Walking”, presented 3.20.13. From Steve Winslow, Senior Project Manager Community Development, “Every year WalkBoston recognizes communities that are making “major strides” to improve conditions for walking which is a wonderful endorsement of the great work around the HarborWalk, city planning, and community development.”

Cape AnnMuseum, Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library, Beauport, SargentHouseMuseum, Good Morning Gloucester (and GMG contributors!) and other local media, and so many other Gloucester partners collaborated in the process of creating content for the story moments and the mobile site and links. Here’s to more awards: Visit http://www.ghwalk.org

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This is not to be missed. If you haven’t experienced a GMG Mug Up Food Competition at Khan Studio and the Good Morning Gloucester Gallery, you have been missing something big.

It is time for the World Famous GMG Biennial Deviled Egg Competition. Those who would like to have their special deviled eggs included in the competition, be featured on the blog, and go down in deviled egg history, just bring ‘em on Sunday, June 9th at 9:15 am at Khan Studio and the Good Morning Gloucester Gallery, 77 Rocky Neck Ave., Gallery 3. All those masterful in the art of deviled egg making are welcome. Beware, I did not enter my world famous deviled eggs in the last competition to give people a fair chance. Not so this year – I’ll be there with my eggs and will show no mercy. Gigi Mederos has already started posturing, as she wants to go home with the ribbon again this year. We’ll just see about that Ms. Gigi. Haven’t heard a word from Kathy Chapman yet, but she is a strong contender who has a couple of GMG food competition ribbons under her belt.

People who don’t like deviled eggs or are not entering into the competition, feel free to bring along something non-egg related to share for Mug Up. Mug Up is alot of fun and everyone is invited and welcome. Come meet GMG peeps and make some new friends.

The largest retrospective ever assembled of the late Oliver Balf’s work, representing more than 60 years of painting and selected from a newly archived collection of close to 1000 paintings, will be featured on May 11th at the Rockport Art Association in Rockport, Massachusetts. Included in the 40–plus works will be several of Balf’s early and rarely exhibited watercolors on loan from private collections.

Come join the Clean City Initiative for an Earth Day cleanup at Stage Fort Park on Saturday April 27, 2013 from 9-12. We will be collecting fresh fruits and vegetables for the Food Pantry so if you can, please bring something that comes from the earth. You can come and clean Stage Fort Park or take your bag and bring it to an area that you like to visit that needs some cleaning. Take an extra bag and separate the recycling from the trash. Organize a neighborhood cleanup, we can show you how. Contact Rose Lopiccolo at the DPW at 978-281-9785 or Patti Amaral at 978-412-4201 or visit our webpage at www.cleancity.us,. Thank you for helping us to “Keep Our Home Port Clean”.

Earth Day is being celebrated between April 20th and April 27th 2013 here in Gloucester. Because in the past I’ve never seen a comprehensive list ahead of time and neighborhoods who would like to have a plan to meet, I think Good Morning Gloucester is the perfect place to be the clearinghouse for Local Earth Day Information.

If your organization or neighborhood is planning something, submit it to goodmorninggloucester@yahoo.com I will add it to the GMG Earth Day Google Map and add your listing here on the blog.

Click map for interactive information and send in your Earth Day Clean Up Pictures And I’ll attach them to the map and the blog!

Would be great to have neighborhoods write in and say where and what time they would like to meet. FOB Patty Amaral will also update us with where to get yellow bags which will be collected and anything else from the Clean City Initiative coordination efforts. We are continually updating this list so continue to send in your neighborhood plan and I’ll post it. (seems most neighborhoods are meeting at 9AM) I don’t see a Magnolia, or East Gloucester initiative yet. Send your listing to goodmorninggloucester@yahoo.com

In support of Rockport’s Earth Day activities, the Toad Hall Bookstore is sponsoring a volunteer cleanupof the Loop Pond Conservation Area and Upper Mill Brook between 8 – 9:30 am on Saturday, April

20thth. The Loop Pond Conservation area has been collaboratively restored by the Town and dozens of volunteers over the past decade. Anyone who wants to learn more about this project and pitch in a little volunteer time to further the ecological recovery cleanup of this important area of native grasslands, trails and wetlands please meet at the gate located at the end of Applecart Road at 8:00 am. For more information please contact Eric Hutchins at 978-546-6425 or Toad Hall Bookstore at 978-546-7323.

ToadHall Bookstore Earth Day Beach Clean Up For Rockport April 20th

Pick a beach ,Front , Back or Old Garden Beach to clean up and recycle trash that pollutes our beaches. Saturday April 20th at 10:00- rain or shine join a volunteer at a location to clean up each beach. Trash bags will be provided, gloves are recommended. For more information please contact Nina Samoiloff at 978-546-7785or Toad Hall Bookstore at 978-546-7323.

Gloucester Goes Green in Earth Day Eco-Trip Celebration April 20th

Celebrate Earth Day and discover what Gloucester businesses are doing to go green on the Eco-Trip Scavenger Hunt on April 20 at 12:30 p.m. Eco-Trip registrants will get a free copy of “Share the Ocean” by Michael Crocker, donated by Niaz Dorry, coordinating director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance.

Please join the Clean City Initiative and the Building Center of Gloucester on our Annual Sidewalk Sweeping Day April 20, 2013. Sweep all the winter sand off of your sidewalk and into the street for the D.P.W. to come and take it away on your scheduled sweeping day, look for the posted schedule in your local newspaper or online on our cites website. Try to keep it in small piles so the street sweeping machine can sweep it up. Offer to help a neighbor that might need it. Look for coupons in local paper from our sponsors the Building Center of Cape Ann. Thank you for “Helping to Keep Our Home Port Clean”.

Joey, Hi my name is Ambrose Orlando and I am getting a group of hopefully quite a few people to go down to Burnham’s Field and clean up on April 21 at 9am if u could give us a shout out on ur page that would be greatly appreciated.

Cape Ann Trail Stewards invites the public to join the inaugural clean up workday at the city of Gloucester’s Goose Cove Reservoir on Sunday, April 21st (the day before Earth Day) beginning at 1PM.

We will meet in the lot along Gee Avenue. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the weather (the event is rain or shine). Bring rakes, shovels and buckets if you have them. CATs will supply gloves and other materials.

Come join the Clean City Initiative for an Earth Day cleanup at Stage Fort Park on Saturday April 27, 2013 from 9-12. We will be collecting fresh fruits and vegetables for the Food Pantry so if you can, please bring something that comes from the earth. You can come and clean Stage Fort Park or take your bag and bring it to an area that you like to visit that needs some cleaning. Take an extra bag and separate the recycling from the trash. Organize a neighborhood cleanup, we can show you how. Contact Rose Lopiccolo at the DPW at 978-281-9785 or Patti Amaral at 978-412-4201 or visit our webpage at www.cleancity.us,. Thank you for helping us to “Keep Our Home Port Clean”.

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Hey Joey,
Just when I thought we had dragged our children to every possible day trip imaginable, we took off after hockey today and went to the Seacoast Science Center…just a couple of miles off the Portsmouth Circle. SOOO worth the short drive!!! My boys LOVE the Gloucester Maritime Center and, as members, we go there all summer long, but the Seacoast Science Center is a perfect compromise between our own “little red aquarium” (as my boys call it) and trekking to Boston to the NE Aquarium. While it is no Mystic Aquarium, it is a fantastic day trip!! During warmer weather they also have great trail hiking and tidal pool exploration because they are located in Odiorne Point State Park. I thought that some of your readers may want to check it out! http://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/
Nichole Schrafft

You know there is one singular site that when I’m trying to figure out something to do with the kids other than sitting around the house playing board games- North Shore Kid

The way Bill and Kelly have the site laid out, easy to navigate, highly searchable and always with direct links to the Children activity host’s website. It’s just such a treasure trove of information for busy parents looking for fun educational stuff to do with their family.

So the kids are on a three day weekend and The Mrs is great about making sure they get outside but had been scratching her head as to what to do. I go to the handy NorthShoreKid link in the sidebar on GMG, and lo and behold North Shore Kid is featuring a story about Beginning Birding at Halibut State Park.

Perfect, dress warm, get outside, see some cool migratory birds that happen to be stopping off at Halibut Point State Park and then hit one of the local coffee shops for some hot chocolate.

Gloucester Webcam

The GloucesterCast Podcast

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)